Shoe-stretching device



(No Mdel.)

e. B. WEBB. Y y Shoe Stretching Device. No. 241,102. Patented May 3,1881.

N. PETERS. Phewmhognpher. washingum, D. c.

. STATES UNITE CHARLES B. IVEBB,-OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SHOE-STRETQHING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 241,102, dated May 3, 1881.

Application led February 17, 188i. (No model.)

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES B. WEBB, a citizen of the United States, residingin Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Shoe Stretching Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of a device, too fully described hereinafter to need preliminary explanation, for maintaining a boot or shoe in its proper shape for exhibition cit-heron the shelf or within the window of a shoe-store, the device at the same time serving as a means of lattaching a sample boot or shoe to the exterior of a box and for displaying a price-card on the boot or shoe exposed as a sample.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side view of my improved boot and shoe stretcher; Fig. 2, a perspective view of part ot' the device, and Fig. 3 a view of a modified form of stretcher.

In Fig. l ofthe drawings I have illustrated my invention as applied to a ladys boot, which is shown in section by dotted lines.

The stretcher consists of a piece of Wire, which is bent to the form shown, and the several parts ot which may be designated as the top a, the front leg, b, the spring b', forming a continuation of the said leg, and the rear leg, d. The top ais bent at m, and continued down- Ward from this point, so as to form the curved front leg, b, which terminates at the bend n, whence the wire is continued to form the spring b', the latter being turned upward at its free end, as shown. The top a is also bent at g, whence the wire is continued downward to form the rear leg, d, which is also turned upward at its lower end. While the simple bending of the wire at the three points m, n, and g` may suffice, I prefer to make a complete convolution, fr, of the wire at these points, so as to insure permanence and elasticity.

A loop or eye, fw, is formed in the top a, between the opposite bent ends, the loop being such that it will pass over a projection on the front of the box containing the shoes, of which a sample has to be hung outside the box, and l this loop or eye maybe made bysimply bendi ing the wire, but I prefer to make two or three l convolutions of the wire at this point, so that l a ticket designating the character or price, or l both, of the boots inthe box may be inserted between the convolutions, as shown in Fig. 2.

The leg b of the stretcher is made to conform in shape with that of the front ot' the boot, and as the end of the spring b bears on the sole it tends to force the leg b outward, and therefore to retain the front of the boot, including the instep and leg, in the best condition for properly exhibiting its true shape, the leg d at the same time preventing the rear of the boot from getting outof shape. In other words,the stretcher tends to distend the boot in the proper direc tion, and this tendency is continuous, for before the said stretcher is introduced into the boot it is of the shape indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l, and must be contracted' before it can be introduced into the boot, and the tendency of the legs to recoil must necessarily cause the desired distention.

It will be understood that the stretcher may be shaped to conform to differently-shaped boots, as well as to shoes ot' different styles, the device being available as a means of distending to its proper shape any boot or shoe, whether the latter be placed on a shelf or stand within the window of a shoe-store or suspended as a sample from a box.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a modification of my invention, in which the upper ends of thelegs b and d of the stretcher are free,'th`e connection between these legs being at the bottom, and consisting of a wire having a central coil, which rests on the sole of the boot or shoe. The connections between the legs may be varied considerably Without departing from the main feature of my invention, the connection always being such, however, as to permit the contraction and expansion ot' the legs b d.

I claim as my invention- 1. The within-described stretcher, the same consisting of the front leg, b, shaped to fit to and support theinstep portion of the shoe, the rear leg, d, adapted to the rear and heel portion of the shoe, and an elastic connection, whereby the legs may be contracted for introduction into the shoe and retained in an expanded condition after such introduction, as set forth.

2. The stretcher, comprising the front leg, b, adapted to the instep, the rear leg, d, the elastic connection whereby the contraction and eX- pansion of said legs are permitted, and a. portion adapted to bear upon the sole of the shoe and support the stretcher therein, as set forth.

3. The stretcher comprising the top a, front leg, b, with spring-arm b', and rear leg, d, as set forth.

In testimony whereof Ihiwesigned my name to this specification in the presence of' two subscribing Witnesses.

GHAS. B. WTEBB.

Witnesses:

J AMES F. TOBIN, HARRY SMITH. 

